Head-up display apparatus

Abstract

A head-up display apparatus that includes an image forming unit that emits video light; an optical element provided in the image forming unit and that generates video light divided into a first video light and a second video light as the video light; a first returning mirror that reflects the first video light; a second returning mirror that reflects the second video light; and a video projector that reflects the first video light from the first returning mirror and the second video light from the second returning mirror, and a first display region which is a first display area capable of displaying a first virtual image is formed based on the first video light from the video projector, and a second display region which is a second display area capable of displaying a second virtual image is formed based on the second video light from the video projector.

1 . A head-up display apparatus comprising:
 an image forming unit configured to emit video light;   an optical element provided in the image forming unit and configured to generate video light divided into a first video light and a second video light as the video light;   a first returning mirror configured to reflect the first video light;   a second returning mirror configured to reflect the second video light; and   a video projector configured to reflect the first video light from the first returning mirror and the second video light from the second returning mirror,   wherein a first display region which is a first display area capable of displaying a first virtual image is formed based on the first video light from the video projector, and   wherein a second display region which is a second display area capable of displaying a second virtual image is formed based on the second video light from the video projector.   
     
     
         2 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the image forming unit includes a light source device and a display panel configured to generate the video light based on source light from the light source device,   wherein a display surface of the display panel is divided into a first region and a second region and the optical element is disposed so as to correspond to the second region on a back surface side or a front surface side of the display panel, and   wherein the first video light is emitted from the first region and the second video light is emitted from the second region.   
     
     
         3 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first display region and the second display region are formed on a front side relative to a transparent member when viewed from a viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle so as to be separated from each other or overlap each other in an up-down direction.   
     
     
         4 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first display region and the second display region are formed on a front side relative to a transparent member when viewed from a viewpoint of a driver of a vehicle such that the first display region is disposed relatively farther than the second display region in a front-rear direction.   
     
     
         5 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the video projector is composed of a mirror, and a region where the first video light is irradiated and a region where the second video light is irradiated are separated from each other or overlap each other on a reflection surface.   
     
     
         6 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the video projector is composed of a mirror and has a drive mechanism configured to rotate the mirror around a rotating shaft extending in a lateral direction, and   wherein the mirror is rotated in a protection mode with respect to a normal display mode, and when external light enters the mirror in an opposite direction to a direction of the video light, directions of the external light from the mirror to the first returning mirror and the second returning mirror are changed such that the external light reflected by the mirror does not enter a display surface of the image forming unit.   
     
     
         7 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising an insolation sensor or a temperature sensor,
 wherein, when entrance of the external light is detected based on detection information of the insolation sensor or the temperature sensor, the normal display mode is switched to the protection mode.   
     
     
         8 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first returning mirror is composed of a concave mirror,   wherein the second returning mirror is composed of a plane mirror, and   wherein the first video light enters the video projector after being reflected by the concave mirror and collected at a predetermined light collecting position.   
     
     
         9 . The head-up display apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the image forming unit includes a light source device and a display panel configured to generate the video light based on source light from the light source device, and wherein a reflective polarizing element or an absorptive polarizing element is disposed on a front surface side of the display panel of the image forming unit.